But a rug that''s well cared for won''t need the full professional treatment more than once every four to five years, the article noted.

"Everything you need is in your house," said Tavakolian.

"Don''t use heavy-duty carpet cleaners. Use what you use for yourself — a soft soap or dish detergent that leaves your hands soft," Tavalolian added.

According to the article, you can clean the whole rug with a pile of white towels and two buckets — one full of plain cold water, the other half-filled with water to which you''ve added some liquid soap.